Jaipur darbar

The BJP might have taken Madan Lal Khurana out of Delhi politics by making him governor of Rajasthan, but it can8217;t take the politician ...

The BJP might have taken Madan Lal Khurana out of Delhi politics by making him governor of Rajasthan, but it can8217;t take the politician out of Khurana. Rajasthan8217;s new governor is keen to continue interacting with the masses and no sooner had he settled in the Jaipur Raj Bhavan than he proposed holding a darbar for people below the poverty line who have no one to turn to for addressing their grievances. The opposition Congress was quick to accuse Khurana of attempting to misuse the governor 8217;s office, which is meant to be largely ceremonial, and usurping the chief minister8217;s role.

Fortunately, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundara Raje and Khurana are old friends and from the same party so Raje did not take Khurana8217;s proposal amiss. Instead she diplomatically suggested that she would sit with Khurana in the people8217;s darbar which is scheduled to start from next month.

Constructive politics

Jaya Jaitly stepped down as Samata Party president in the wake of the Tehelka scandal, when Nitish Kumar targeted her in order to embarrass her mentor George Fernandes. Last year, Jaitly gave up her post as chairperson of the Samata parliamentary board so that Sharad Yadav, who had merged his party with the Samata, could take over. Fed up with the constant backbiting in the party Jaya has now quietly decided to distance herself from the Samata. No one noticed that she did not renew her membership when it expired last year.

Jaitly may be out of the Samata party but she is still very much in politics.

Moreover, she would rather use her political instincts in a creative and constructive way. Jaitly, who conceived Dilli Haat, has organised a workshop for 10 craftsmen from India and an equal number from Pakistan in March. The workshop will be an example of diplomacy at the grassroots level and the creative energies of the artisans will, Jaitly hopes, bring about new product designs.

Sis weds, Omar in bed

Since the Abdullah family has frequently married outside the Muslim community 8212; Farooq married a Protestant from England, his son Omar a Hindu, and one of Farooq8217;s daughters a South African Christian 8212; it was puzzling why the family boycotted Sara Abdullah8217;s marriage to Sachin Pilot. Some assumed in fact that their objections were not on religious grounds but reflected social snobbery. Kashmir8217;s first family believing that the grandson of a doodwalla milkman was not good enough for them, even if he had been to St Stephen8217;s college and Wharton Business School and is considered one of the most charming and well-spoken among the younger generation of politicians.

The marriage was originally scheduled for last November and friends recall that the Abdullah family seemed happy about the impending nuptials, particularly as Farooq and the late Rajesh Pilot were friends. Pilot became close to Farooq when he was minister of state for home in charge of Kashmir. The generally broadminded Abdullahs have suddenly adopted a bigoted approach towards an inter religious marriage because of political expediency and the fear that it might create a political backlash. Islamic fundamentalism has been spreading in Kashmir, which was once known for its tolerance and Sufi beliefs.

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In the last assembly elections Omar lost the Ganderbal assembly constituency and his political rivals for the first time raised the issue of his marriage to Payal even though she has converted to Islam. Farooq who was earlier chairperson of the J038;K Muslim Awqaf Trust, which controls all religious shrines in the state, has realised he is vulnerable to attacks from fundamentalists. To avoid attending the wedding, Farooq left for Australia and Omar got himself admitted into a hospital.

Catch 22

The catch phrases for the BJP poll campaign 8216;8216;Shining India8217;8217; and 8216;8216;Feel Good Factor8217;8217; originated not from the BJP office, or an advertising agency but from the economic wing of the Prime Minister8217;s Office and the Finance Ministry. The feel good expression has been picked up by Pramod Mahajan and Venkaiah Naidu and has now become the theme of the party8217;s ad campaigns.

The BJP wants to take full advantage of the government8217;s publicity campaigns to project the prime minister and his government for the forthcoming parliamentary poll. Even the Planning Commission has been roped in, the normally laid back Press Information Bureau is working overtime to collect data and information on various projects from different ministries so that booklets and ads can be released. The Opposition may scream foul, but it can complain to the Election Commission about misuse of government machinery only if Parliament is first dissolved.

No red carpet

The media, which congregated outside North Block hoping to meet the Hurriyat representatives before they went into the building to talk with Home Minister L K Advani, found the secretariat lawns looking uncharacteristically festive. There were chairs, durees, flowers decorations and even a red carpet. A TV cameraman assuming the decorations were for the visitors from Kashmir started shooting. But immediately the red carpet was hastily rolled up. It turned out that the preparations were for a CRPF function the next day evening and not for the Hurriyat leaders, who were sneaked in from a side entrance of North Block so that they did not even get a chance to meet the waiting journalists.